Clinton's annual Black Potatoe Music Festival, set for July 12-15, to be bigger than ever before

CLINTON — Between 5,000 and 15,000 music fans are expected to flock to bucolic Clinton for the Black Potatoe Festival, a multi-day event devoted to indie music.

The festival, now in its 16th year, is going to be bigger than ever before. More than 100 acts are booked for this year's event, which takes place from Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15.

"We appeal to real music fans," festival founder and organizer Matt Angus said. "People that come to our festival are people that really like music."

Unlike other festivals, he said, the appeal is the music itself.

"Dance moves are not as important as the quality of music," he said, adding that the artists write and play their own songs. "It's about real musicians."

For the first time in its history, the festival is being run by Black Potatoe Music Festival Charitable Organization, which will donate the proceeds to area charities.

The festival grew out of a one-day record release party for the independent Clinton record label, Black Potatoe, which took its name from former Vice President Dan Quayle's infamous misspelling.

"We thought that if that guy can be vice president, then we can run a record label," Angus said.

Over the years, the festival has added days and bands. This year, fans will be able to hear rock, jazz, blues and folk on five stages.

On the grounds of the Red Mill museum will be the River Stage, which overlooks the south branch of the Raritan River, and the Quarry Stage, which is at the base of a 150-foot limestone quarry. Two stages will be set up on Gephardt Field on Halstead Street, while the fifth one on Main Street will be open and free to the public. All weekend long, singer-songwriters will be performing inside the art museum.

Locals include Clinton native Gregg Cagno; Electric Gumbo, some of whose members came from Cairo and other local bands; Pattenburg band Bones Weedsley; Clinton native Jessi Teich; and husband-and-wife duo Chip and Annie Mergott. Annie is a second-grade teacher at Conley School in Bethlehem Township.

Tickets cost $30 for Thursday, $35 for Friday, $45 for Saturday, $40 for Sunday and $99 for a four-day pass.

The festival begins at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
No roads will be closed on Thursday. At 4 p.m. on Friday, Main and Lower Center streets will be closed to vehicles. On Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., the same streets will also be closed. Police may open the streets earlier depending on when the bands finish their sets, Police Chief Brett Matheis said.

Festival parking is on New Jersey Water Supply Authority property off Halstead Street, he said. The Clinton Fire Company will be directing traffic. Parking will not be allowed on Halstead Street, Water Street or Rachel Court, he said.